Family of man who was shot and killed by police in 2018 protested at LAPD commission hearing

BALDWIN HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The family of a man who was shot and killed by police last year protested at the Los Angeles Police Department commission hearing Tuesday.

Grechario Mack was talking to himself and holding a kitchen knife at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall in April of 2018 when he was killed, according to reports. The family says Mack had mental health problems and was on medication that day.

"I come here as a hurting mother - as a mother where part of my heart is missing," Catherine Walker, Mack's mother said.

"I saw my son and he told me hey 'Mama, this medicine I take, I don't like the way it's making me feel. 'Mama I'm just gonna sit here for a little while,'" said Walker.

Mack went to the mall after that conversation. Police say he ran toward other people with the knife and that's when the shooting occurred.

"He was armed with a large knife and his actions resulted in the use of deadly force," said LAPD Chief Michel Moore.

Chief Moore says the police commission ruled that only the last two shots were out of policy. "In my review of the totality of this, I felt that the imposition of discipline in such a circumstance was not warranted given the totality of circumstances," said Moore.

The family presented Chief Moore with an online petition. They claim they have more than 5,000 signatures demanding the officers involved be fired.